Blueberry plant named C14-771

ABSTRACT

The new blueberry plant variety ‘C14-771’ is provided. ‘C14-771’ is a commercial variety intended for the fresh market. The variety is produced from a cross of unpatented parents ‘FL10-012’ and ‘FL05-613’.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Application No. 63/206,156 filed on 29 Jan. 2021, the contents of which are hereby incorporated in their entirety by reference.

Latin name of the family, genus, and species:

Family: Ericaceae.

Genus: Vaccinium.

Species: corymbosum hybrid.

Variety denomination: The new blueberry plant claimed is of the variety denominated ‘C14-771’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new variety ‘C14-771’ was selected from a population of seedlings derived from crossing the blueberry varieties known as ‘FL10-012’ (unpatented seed parent) and the variety known as ‘FL05-613’ (unpatented pollen parent). The cross was made in 2010 in Florida, USA and the seed was sown and grown in Corindi Beach, New South Wales, Australia. The new variety was selected in 2014 from among plants located on land at Corindi Beach and assigned the breeding code ‘C14-771’. Plants of ‘C14-771’ were propagated by cuttings for further evaluation and resulted to be uniform and stable. The new variety showed distinctive traits such as evergreen, with fruit of good size, flavor, and firmness.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new variety ‘C14-771’ was originated from a cross of ‘FL10-012’ (unpatented seed parent) and the variety known as ‘FL05-613’ (unpatented pollen parent) in 2010 in Florida, USA.

The new blueberry variety resulted from seedlings produced in a controlled breeding programme. The cross was made in 2010 in Florida, USA and the seed was sown and grown in Corindi Beach, New South Wales, Australia.

The new variety was selected in 2014 from among plants located on land at Corindi Beach and has since been named ‘C14-771’. Since then plants of ‘C14-771’ were propagated by cuttings for further evaluation and confirmed to be uniform and stable. Asexual reproduction of the new variety ‘C14-771’ by cutting propagation since 2014 at Corindi Beach, New South Wales, Australia has demonstrated that the new variety reproduces true to type plants.

The new variety was selected in 2014 as a single plant within a population of seedlings resulting from controlled cross of Vaccinium varieties. The seedling population was planted in an experimental block in the field at Corindi Beach, New South Wales, Australia and the selection of the new variety took place in the same block. Selection criteria were a combination of early to mid-season harvest, low chilling requirement, strong plant vigour, non-deciduous type of plant (evergreen), very large fruit size, good fruit flavor, and firm fruit. The new variety was subsequently evaluated for six years at the commercial farm at Corindi Beach, New South Wales, Australia.

The following characteristics of the new variety have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘C14-771’ as a new and distinct variety of Vaccinium corymbosum hybrid:

-   -   1. Non-deciduous (Evergreen).     -   2. Early to medium season crop.     -   3. Low chilling requirement (estimated to be between 150 and 300         hours).     -   4. Vary large fruit size, averaging 4.2 g.

The new blueberry variety ‘C14-771’ has maintained its distinguished characteristics throughout successive asexual propagation. The variety has been repeatedly asexually reproduced through softwood cuttings in New South Wales, Australia and the clones are phenotypically identical to the original plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying photographic illustration shows typical specimens in full color of the foliage and fruit of the new variety ‘C14-771’. The colors are as nearly true as is reasonably possible in a color representation of this type.

FIG. 1 is a photograph of the new variety ‘C14-771’, showing 3 year old plants growing in a substrate system.

FIG. 2 is a photograph showing a typical calyx of fruit of the new variety ‘C14-771’.

FIG. 3 is a photograph showing the typical pedicel scar of fruit of the new variety ‘C14-771’.

FIG. 4 is a photograph of the new variety ‘C14-771’ showing the botanical parts of the plants (ripe fruit, green fruit, flowers and leaves).

FIG. 5 is a photograph showing the large fruit size of the new variety ‘C14-771’.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with the photographic and printing technology utilized. The color values cited in the detailed botanical description accurately describe the colors of the new blueberry variety.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description sets forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘C14-771’. The data which defines these characteristics was collected from asexual reproductions of the original selection. Dimensions, sizes, colors, and other characteristics are approximations and averages set forth as accurately as possible. For all traits data was collected from 3 plant parts across 6 randomly selected plants. For the traits relating to fruits (e.g., fruit weight, firmness, brix, acidity) the data is an average across twenty fruits collected randomly. The plant history was taken on plants approximately 3 years of age, and the descriptions relate to plants grown in the field in Corindi Beach, New South Wales, 2456 Australia. Descriptions of fruit characteristics were made on fruit grown in Corindi Beach, New South Wales, 2456 Australia. Color designations are from the 2007 edition of The Royal Horticultural Society (“R.H.S.”).

-   Classification:     -   -   a. Family.—Ericaceae.         -   b. Genus.—Vaccinium.         -   c. Species.—corymbosum hybrid.         -   d. Common Name.—Blueberry. -   Parentage: Female Parent — unpatented selection ‘FL10-012’. Male     Parent — unpatented selection ‘FL05-613’. -   Market class: fresh market.

PLANT

-   General:     -   -   Parentage.—FL10-012 x FL05-613.         -   Plant height.—1.78 m.         -   Plant width.—1.12 m.         -   Growth habit.—Upright.         -   Growth.—Strong vigour         -   Productivity.—Medium to low yield.         -   Cold hardiness.—Low chill.         -   Cold tolerance.—Low.         -   Chilling requirement.—Low, estimated between 150 and 300             hours.         -   Tolerance to disease.—None assessed.         -   Leafing.—Overall medium, and plant retains leaves during the             winter.         -   Twigginess.—Low. -   FOLIAGE -   General:     -   -   Leaf color (top side).—Green group, similar to N137C.         -   Leaf color (under side).—Green group, similar to N138C and             138B.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate.         -   Leaf shape.—Elliptic.         -   Leaf margins.—Entire.         -   Leaf venation.—Reticulate.         -   Leaf length.—Long to very long (average 72 mm).         -   Leaf width.—Broad (average 33.1 mm).         -   Leaf length/width ratio.—2.2.         -   Leaf nectarines.—Absent.         -   Pubescence of upper side.—Absent.         -   Pubescence of lower side.—Absent.         -   Cross sectional profile.—Flat.         -   Longitudinal profile.—Straight.         -   Attitude.—Horizontal. -   Petioles:     -   -   Length.—Average 4.5 mm.         -   Width.—Average 1.84 mm.         -   Color.—Yellow-green group, similar to 145B.

FLOWERS

-   General:     -   -   Time of beginning of flowering.—Early to mid-season.         -   Flower shape.—Urceolate.         -   Flower fragrance.—None perceptible. -   Corolla:     -   -   Color.—White group, similar to NN155B.         -   Length.—9.3 mm.         -   Width.—9.6 mm.         -   Aperture width.—4.8 mm.         -   Anthocyanin coloration of corolla.—Absent to very weak.         -   Corolla ridges.—Present.         -   Protrusion of stigma.—Very small but noticeable -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Surface texture of peduncle.—Medium.         -   Color of peduncle.—Yellow-green group, similar to 145A with             greyed-red group similar to 182A on top.         -   Length of pedicel.—8.3 mm.         -   Surface texture of pedicel.—Smooth.         -   Color of pedicel.—Yellow green group, similar to 145A and             146C.         -   Number of flowers per cluster.—6.         -   Flower cluster density.—Medium. -   Stamen:     -   -   Length.—7.4 mm.         -   Number per flower.—12.         -   Filament color.—Yellow-green group, similar to 145B.         -   Style.—Length — 9.3 mm.         -   Color.—Yellow-green group, similar to 145B and N144D. -   Pistil:     -   -   Length.—11.2 mm. -   Anther:     -   -   Length.—4.3 mm.         -   Number.—12.         -   Color.—Greyed-orange group, similar to 165B. -   Pollen:     -   -   Self compatibility .—Yes.         -   Abundance.—Few.         -   Color.—Yellow group, similar to 10A.

FRUIT

-   General:     -   -   Time of fruit ripening.—Early to medium.         -   Cluster density.—Medium (5-7 berries per cluster).         -   Unripe fruit color.—Yellow green group, similar to 145B.         -   Ripe berry color.—Blue group 103A.         -   Berry surface wax abundance.—Medium to strong.         -   Berry weight.—Very large, on average 4.2 g.         -   Berry height from calyx to scar.—15.6 mm.         -   Berry diameter.—19.8 mm.         -   Berry shape.—Oblate.         -   Fruit stem scar.—Small and dry.         -   Sweetness when ripe.—Medium (12 Brix).         -   Firmness when ripe.—Firm.         -   Acidity when ripe.—Medium (0.50%).         -   Storage quality.—Long storage, on average 36 days         -   Suitability for mechanical harvesting.—Not tested.         -   Uses.—Fruit to be hand harvested for fresh market.         -   Self fruitfulness.—Yes, with a proportion of the crop from             parthenocarpic fruit.

SEED

-   General:     -   -   Seed abundance in fruit.—Low, on average 4 seeds per fruit.         -   Seed color.—Greyed brown group, similar to N199B.         -   Seed length.—1.66 mm.

COMPARISON BETWEEN PARENTAL AND COMMERCIAL CULTIVARS

Table 1 below provide comparison between C14-771 and several commercial cultivars:

TABLE 1 Comparison of ‘C14-771’ with similar cultivars Characteristics ‘C14-771’ ‘C99-042’ ‘Snowchaser’ Plant vigour Strong Weak Medium to medium Plant growth habit Upright Semi-upright to Semi-upright intermediate One year old shoot Medium Very short to Short length of internodes short Leaf length Long to short Long very long Leaf length (mm)   72 ± 2.8 53.10 ± 0.8 61.50 ± 0.9 Leaf width Broad Very narrow to Broad narrow Leaf width (mm) 33.1 ± 2.3  22.9 ± 1.3  34.3 ± 1.5 Flower size of corolla Medium Medium Medium Flower corolla  9.3 ± 0.3  9.7 ± 0.3  9.5 ± 0.3 length (mm) Fruit cluster density Medium Sparse Medium Fruit size Very large Small to Small to medium medium Fruit weight (g)  4.2 ± 0.6  1.9 ± 0.39  1.7 ± 0.21 Fruit diameter (mm) 19.8 ± 1.4  15.6 ± 0.96 15.10 ± 0.97 Fruit depth of calyx basin Deep Medium Shallow Fruit intensity of bloom Medium to Weak to Weak to strong medium medium Fruit firmness Firm Firm soft Soluble solid content (%) 12 13.1 14.3 Titratable acidity (%)  0.5  0.3  0.5 Time of vegetative Early Early Early bud burst Time of beginning Early to Early to Very early to of flowering medium medium early Time of beginning Early to Early to Very early to of fruit ripening medium medium early 

1. A new and distinct variety of blueberry plant named ‘C14-771’, substantially as illustrated and described herein. 